China warns Taiwan not to rely on foreigners after attack threat

BEIJING (Reuters) - Taiwan will fail in its efforts to get foreign support for its cause, the Chinese government said on Wednesday after a senior Chinese diplomat threaten Taiwan would be attacked the instant any U.S. warship visits the self-ruled island.

China considers Taiwan to be a wayward province and has never renounced the use of force to bring it under its control. The United States has no formal ties with Taiwan but is bound by law to help it defend itself and is its main source of arms.

Beijing regularly calls Taiwan the most sensitive and important issue between it and the United States. In September, the U.S. Congress passed the National Defense Authorization Act for the 2018 fiscal year, which authorizes mutual visits by navy vessels between Taiwan and the United States.

That prompted a senior U.S.-based Chinese diplomat to say last week that China would attack Taiwan the instant any U.S. navy vessel visited Taiwan.

Asked about the remarks at a regular news briefing, An Fengshan, spokesman for China's policy-making Taiwan Affairs Office, said Taiwan was an internal matter for China and that China opposed any form of military contacts between Taipei and Washington.

"What I want to stress and point out is that any relying on foreigners to build oneself up or plots to harm national sovereignty and territorial integrity will be opposed by the entire Chinese nation, and cannot succeed," An said.